Fate and Destiny
by Leopardheart-Naux-Kadaj
Summary: Takes place around the fourth series. Crowfeather has some unfortunate events and Leafpool is still in love. I suck at summaries. Read and Review! LeafXCrow.
1. Exile

**Hiya! This is my new Warriors story. LeafXCrow centered... kind of. Better than what I can tell ya! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors. Erin Hunter does. If I did, Honeyfern would have lived.**

**_It was the dark of the night_** and a dark gray tom sat silhouetted against the white, almost-full moon. He stood, gazing up into the stars. Instead of shining brightly, comfortingly as they use to it, they glinted coldly at him. He could see his ancestors in those stars, and it seemed they were glaring down at him.

There was uncontrolled anger in the blue depths of the tom's eyes as he looked up at his ancestors. _How could you do this to me? How could ruin everything I'd come to be? _The smoky-furred tom seethed.

His mate and son—his only son as far as he was concerned—hated him. Or if they didn't hate him, they were unfathomably furious with him. As if it was his fault the stupid light brown tabby had lied and kept secrets and her daughter had brought them into the harsh, garish light.

He'd proven his loyalty over and over; just to have it knocked down by the words of the black she-cat who was apparently was his daughter. Her few words had shattered everything he'd worked for. And now he lived his life wondering what day would be his last in WindClan.

The light brown tabby padded into the forest alone, after sneaking out of camp using a secret way out. Her dainty white paws made almost no sound as they carried her almost out of instinct towards the Moonpool. She followed the stream up to the small round pool filled with water that reflected the inky black sky with shining white stars.

Her striped fur bristled in shock as she saw the shimmering figure of a StarClan warrior sitting before her. The cat's light blue eyes pierced hers and the soft-looking silver fur was tugged to the breeze.

"Feathertail!" the tabby meowed.

"Hello Leafpool," greeted the pretty she-cat.

"Why are you here?" Leafpool asked.

"I bring you a message, young warrior," Feathertail answered. "Destiny cannot be changed. When the feather falls into a pool, it can never float again."

"What?" asked the light-furred she-cat, confused by the former RiverClan cat's words.

"Think hard, Leafpool. You'll understand," the she-cat replied.

Before Leafpool could question further, the silver she-cat with bright blue eyes faded from sight, simply faded into nothingness.

The tabby leader padded out of his den, his paws feeling like stones. He didn't want to perform his next ceremony, yet he knew it had to be done. Before things got any worse. Before his warriors fought amongst themselves and chose sides. Before WindClan became divided.

The WindClan dashed and then leaped onto the top of the Tallrock. "Let all cats old enough to chase their own prey, gather beneath the Tallrock for a Clan meeting!"

All cats padded out, shadows slinking into the clearing. The dark gray tom hung near the back of the group, a feeling of nausea rising in his throat. _This is it!_

"All of you know Crowfeather," the amber-eyed tabby began. "And you know of his treachery."

The cat named Crowfeather bristled, his dark gray fur sticking out like porcupine quills.

"I fear it is for the best that he is sent into exile. There is no place for him here now, not without causing disputes," the leader continued. "I'm sorry Crowfeather. Here is your chance to say anything you need said before you leave."

Crowfeather stood, his head held high, chin out. "This is WindClan's loss. I wanted nothing to do with those kits. But if this is the way life must go, then so be it, Onestar."

Identical black cats, except the she-cat had amber eyes and the tom had green, stood.

"This is where treachery gets you, Crowfeather," the she-cat spat.

"Have a nice life as a rogue, father," the tom hissed.

"Good-bye Nightcloud and Breezepelt," Crowfeather bade them, a little pain showing in his words.

The black cats just lashed their tails angrily.

"If you are seen on our territory by the next sunset, we will treat you as any enemy," Onestar went on solemnly. "You were once a great warrior."

Crowfeather bowed his head and then turned away from his birth Clan.

"Good riddance," snarled Nightcloud venomously, pain at her mate's betrayal the center of her anger.

Breezepelt glared after his father, sorrow deep in his green gaze.

The dark gray tom dashed away from his former home. Blue eyes filled with fury and agony, the deputy's son sprinted away from the cats he had grown up with, fought side-by-side with, protected, defended and loved. His claws churned up soil and grass as he ran.

Crowfeather hardly realized he was running towards ThunderClan. Soon, he arrived at the slowly flowing stream where the border was. He stood, panting from the fierce run. A scent blew on the soft breeze.

He tensed in anger before diving into a bush.

A light brown tabby she-cat padded by on the other side, moving right past the formerly WindClan warrior's hiding spot. Right as the blue-eyed tom thought the coast was clear, the ThunderClan cat paused and turned back, scenting something.

"Crowfeather?" she called tentatively.

Reluctantly, the dark gray tom crawled out of his hiding bush. He stood directly across from her, the stream their only separation.

"What are you doing out here this late?" the little she-cat asked curiously.

"You and your stupid kits got me banished," snapped Crowfeather angrily.

Leafpool flinched then retorted, "They're your kits too!"

"I never wanted kits with you, Leafpool. I refuse to call them mine," spat the smoky tom.

"Well, you're their father whether you like it or not!" Leafpool bared her teeth. "I can't believe I even liked a stupid tom like you! Or thought you were worth running away for!"

It was Crowfeather's turn to flinch. "That was then Leafpool."

"And why can't it be now?" she asked, her voice quiet, her tone gentle again.

"Because I don't love you. I've moved on even if you haven't," he replied sharply.

"So what are you doing here?" snapped Leafpool. Her annoyed tone covered up the barbed pain in her heart.

Crowfeather looked down at his paws. "I…I don't know."

"Did you think you could come to ThunderClan safely?" she asked.

He looked up, his blue eyes sparking with annoyance. "Why would I want to be in a Clan with cats who can't obey the warrior code? Why would I want to be around you?"

Leafpool's amber eyes lit with fury, making them look fiery. "That's not fair Crowfeather and you know it! You broke the code just like me."

The dark gray tom looked back down at his paws, an act of reluctant agreement. "Still," he meowed. "I can't go to ThunderClan. That would just prove them right."

"Why do you care what they think?" Leafpool asked.

"You wouldn't understand Leafpool. You didn't have to claw your way back to your place just to slip back down," Crowfeather mewed, bitterness in his voice.

"What do you think I'm doing now?" Leafpool asked. "I'm a warrior now. And still, I'm not accepted."

"Why are you telling me this?" asked Crowfeather.

The almost black tom turned to walk away.

"Crowfeather!" cried Leafpool.

Crowfeather turned his head, looking over his shoulder at the little brown tabby.

"I love you," she murmured softly.

He nodded and kept walking.

The former WindClan tom didn't love the newly made ThunderClan warrior…. Right?

**A/N: so whatcha think? Please leave a review! Constructive critism greatly appreciated! Flames used to make smores.**

**~Leopardheart**


	2. Where do I go?

**Here's in the second installment of Fate and Destiny! Thank you to my reviewers! :)**

**Disclaimer: If I owned Warriors, Brambleclaw wouldn't have left Squirrelflight at the end of Sunrise.**

**Claimer: I do own Blackjaw though. **

Chapter 2

Crowfeather journeyed into the moors where he and Leafpool had run away together. He lashed his tail at the memories, as if swishing them away. _That was then, this is now,_ he told himself. The former WindClanner padded on and on until his paws seemed to made of stone and he was weaving side to side as he walked.

The dark gray tom trudged into a cool, shady hole after checking and finding no scents. He snuggled onto the smooth ground and curled his long tail around himself as his sky-blue eyes fluttered shut.

Crowfeather woke up as sharp fangs nit into his scruff and dragged him out of where he was resting. The assailant tossed him a fox-length away, leaving the sleepy, heavy-limbed warrior on his side.

"You are in Blackjaw's home!" snarled the white cat with a long, black muzzle.

The snarl shook away all if Crowfeather's grogginess. This loner was no scrawny, any-day-could-be-his-last cat. No, this tom was a mean-looking, massive, battle-scarred rogue. His lip was curled back in a menacing snarl, his tinted fangs showings, and his dark amber eyes glinting hatefully.

Crowfeather hauled himself hastily to his paws and growled, "I was just passing through."

"These moors belong to Blackjaw!" the bigger tom growled back, taking a threatening step toward the smaller cat.

The WindClan-blooded tom did what he had to do—run. He turned and sprinted away, his paws beating against the rough moor, his long tail streaming behind him. With chagrin, he noticed Blackjaw was racing after him.

"Turn and fight me, little kittypet!" yowled Blackjaw.

_WindClan runs, but WindClan fights too,_ Mudclaw had told Crowfeather when he'd been Crowpaw.

Crowfeather stopped hard and whipped around to face his pursuer, the dark light of battle in his eyes, his nearly black fur fluffed out so he looked twice his size.

"I'm no kittypet!" he snarled fiercely.

With a battle cry, the dark gray warrior lunged for Blackjaw, lashing out with his right paw, claws extended. He caught the hefty rogue in the ear, tearing a V-shaped nick into it. Claret blood flowed down the Blackjaw's otherwise white face.

Blackjaw retaliated quickly, tackling Crowfeather to the ground, smashing Crowfeather's muzzle into the dirt. He bit into the warrior's shoulder as he dug his claws into the smaller cat's forelegs and flanks. Blood bathed his tongue, clotted around his thorn-sharp claws. Crowfeather rolled with an agonized cry, lying on top of the tom before leaping out of the Blackjaw's grasp.

Crowfeather seemingly danced around the massive white rogue, avoiding blows then moving in to scratch, nip score. Blackjaw quickly became confused as the sunset gave to night and his opponent became nothing more than an attacking shadow, with light blue eyes that glittered with mockery and contempt as he crowed insults.

The battle ended with Crowfeather pinning Blackjaw down. One unsheathed paw rested on the bigger cat's stomach, the other on his neck, the claws pinpricking his exposed throat. Crowfeather had half a mind to slice open the rogue's neck, teach him not mess with a warrior like him and send a message to any other rogues around here. But with a sigh, he sheathed his claws and backed away.

"A warrior doesn't have to kill to win his battles," he murmured.

Crowfeather bounded away into the night, not sure which direction he was heading. He just let his paws guide him, and he trusted his instinct that they'd carry him to a safer place. The smoky-furred tom passed out beside a stream, blood seeping from his wounds and sticking his fur together in clumps. The scent of multiple cats was blasted to him, but he couldn't distinguish the scents from one another before everything went dark.

Crowfeather started away and instantly panicked. Where was he, where was he? The smells of a hundred different herbs overpowered his senses and he realized he was in a medicine cat's den. But he knew he wasn't in WindClan—he would've recognized the scent of Kestrelflight quicker. He sniffed and smelled the ThunderClan medicine cat, Jayfeather, near him.

_Of course I'm in ThunderClan… where else would I be?_ Crowfeather thought sarcastically.

He turned his head toward the blind medicine cat. Jayfeather was making a poultice for one of the WindClan warrior's wounds.

"Why am I here?" Crowfeather asked the gray tabby tom.

Jayfeather looked up from his work, his blind eyes seemingly meeting Crowfeather's identical ones. "You're injured."

"I meant ThunderClan," snapped Crowfeather with an annoyed sweep of his tail.

"A patrol found you on our border. You're lucky Firestar was kind enough to take you in instead of leaving you there, bleeding for your Clan to find you," Jayfeather replied, his tone even with his father's. "Or should I say, former Clan."

Crowfeather stiffened and demanded, "How did you know that?"

"There was a Gathering last night, and Onestar announced it," the young tom answered calmly.

Crowfeather looked at his paws awkwardly.

Leafpool padded into the den.

"Jayfeather, do you need any help with—?" Leafpool stopped mid-sentence as her amber eyes fell upon the dark gray tom lying in the medicine cat's den.

Leafpool had been told there was a WindClan cat in the medicine cat's den but she didn't know it was exiled Crowfeather! He still smelled WindClan, the same musky scent she loved….

_NO!_ she told herself harshly. _Move on._

"No, Leafpool, I don't need your help. I can handle this just fine, thanks," Jayfeather replied, his tone a little frosty.

The medicine cat could feel Leafpool's mixed emotions of longing and pain and joy at seeing the former love of her life. He didn't want to be around Leafpool anymore, let alone feel what she felt. He wanted her out of _his_ den, for the good of them all.

Jayfeather felt and Crowfeather saw Leafpool wince at Jayfeather's tone. The young medicine cat tom would have apologized, but he didn't feel sorry. Leafpool simply bowed her head and padded soundlessly out of the den.

"Got issues with your mother?" Crowfeather asked, watching Leafpool go.

Jayfeather's eyes snapped to Crowfeather's face, a surprising content of loathing and anger in his bright blue eyes. "She is no mother of mine," he spat.

Crowfeather backed off. _He's got my temper all right,_ he thought to himself.

After a long silence, Jayfeather straightened up.

"Your wounds aren't that bad but to avoid re-opening and infection, I'll keep you here for a quarter moon," Jayfeather informed him. "Then you must leave."

The former WindClan tom simply nodded. But part of the warrior didn't want to leave, for multiple reasons. One was never seeing his Clanmates again, no matter how he felt for them, he'd always think of himself as one of them. Another was that he didn't want to end up like Blackjaw; just be some battle-hungry rogue with no proper way of life. The final being… well, where could he go from here?

His Clan wouldn't take him back. He refused to become some fat, lazy kittypet as if he'd never been a warrior. He couldn't go back to the moors again, for Blackjaw might kill him.

Where could former WindClan warrior Crowfeather go from here?

**A/N: So whatcha think? I would appreciate reviews and flames will be used to make chocolate syrup (hold an inflammable box of unmelted chocolate over them).**


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